ARTS AND MUSIC
LUNAFEST The 22nd annual short film event to benefit WomenCARE will be in-person and virtual. A pre-show reception at the Del Mar will also feature wines from Hallcrest Vineyards and Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard. “We’re proud to amplify the inspiring short films by this year’s selection of women and gender nonconforming directors. Our featured filmmakers are from all walks of life, from poets to conservationists, activists and educators. These stories remind us that when we come together, we all move forward.” $20-35; $15/students. Wednesday, May 17 (virtual screenings run through May 20), 7pm (5:30pm pre-show). Del Mar Theater, 1124 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. lunafest.org
EARTHLESS WITH TERRY GROSS There’s an ancient Japanese legend in which a horde of demons, ghosts and other terrifying ghouls descend upon the sleeping villages once a year. Known as Hyakki Yagyō, or the “Night Parade of One Hundred Demons,” one version of the tale states that anyone who witnesses this otherworldly procession will die instantly—or be carried off by the creatures of the night. As a result, the villagers hide in their homes lest they become victims of these supernatural invaders. Such is the inspiration for the latest album from Earthless. “My son is really into mythical creatures and old folk stories about monsters and ghosts,” bassist Mike Eginton explains. “We came across the ‘Night Parade of One Hundred Demons’ in a book of traditional Japanese ghost stories. I like the idea of people hiding and being able to hear the madness but not see it. It’s the fear of the unknown.”$25/$30 plus fees. Thursday, May 18, 8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. folkyeah.com
EVERYONE ORCHESTRA 20 Years in, with over 1,000 different musicians joining, Everyone Orchestra continues to create uniquely. EO is a masterfully conducted, entirely spontaneous explosion of live music created by a rotating cast of world-renowned musicians and led by conductor Matt Butler. Each show is 100% unique, as a carefully curated lineup of performers is guided through high energy, creative, danceable grooves and beautiful songs that you won’t believe are created on the fly under the visionary leadership of Matt’s cues and improvised whiteboard directives. This show features Dan Lebowitz (ALO), Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band), Grahame Lesh (Terrapin Family Band), Jason Crosby (Jackson Browne / Phil Lesh), Johnny Bones (California Honeydrops), Brett McConnell, Aniana, Doug Stringer. $28/$32 plus fees. Friday, May 19, 8pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. feltonmusichall.com
GOOD LUCK THRIFT STORE WITH WOLF JETT A reunion for the ages! The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit has recorded and performed original music since 2004. Fine songcraft and contagious enthusiasm on stage keep fans coming back to see them repeatedly. The band consists of singer-songwriters Willy Taylor and Chris Doud; drummer Aaron Burtch; Taylor Webster on bass and vocals and multi-instrumentalists Matt Cordano and Chandler Pratt. The band has been staying local to their home base in Oakdale, but they’re coming in hot! $25/$30 plus fees. Saturday, May 20, 8pm. Veterans Memorial Building, 846 Front St., Santa Cruz. bit.ly/3mhPY14
MIGHTY POPLAR New roots-Americana Supergroup Might Poplar features Noam Pikelny and Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers), Andrew Marlin (Watchhouse) and Greg Garrison (Leftover Salmon). With their self-titled debut, they capture the fierce and playful energy of an all-night jam between old friends who just happen to be musical savants. Marlin selected and sang lead on most songs, bringing classics and deep cuts from greats like Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard, John Hartford, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Norman Blake. The songs and tunes are as immediate and emotionally impactful as the tasteful playing. $25/$29 plus fees. Saturday, May 20, 8pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. feltonmusichall.com
DAVE EGGERS: ‘THE EYES & THE IMPOSSIBLE’ Join bestselling and award-winning author Dave Eggers (The Every) for a reading and signing of his new all-ages novel about a dog who unwittingly becomes a hero to a park full of animals. The Eyes & The Impossible is illustrated by Shawn Harris (Her Right Foot). Taylor Norman, the executive editor of Neal Porter Books, will join Eggers. Johannes, a free dog, lives in an urban park by the sea. His job is to be the Eyes—to see everything in the park and report back to the park’s elders, three ancient Bison. His friends—a seagull, a raccoon, a squirrel and a pelican—work with him as the Assistant Eyes, observing the humans and other animals who share the park and ensuring the Equilibrium is in balance. But changes are afoot. More humans, including Trouble Travelers, arrive in the park. A new building containing mysterious and hypnotic rectangles goes up. And then there are the goats—an actual boatload of goats—which appear, along with a shocking revelation that changes Johannes’s view of the world. A story about friendship, beauty, liberation and running very fast, The Eyes & the Impossible will make readers of all ages see the world around them in a wholly new way. Free (registration required). Saturday, May 20, 2pm. Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. bookshopsantacruz.com
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY SPRING CONCERT Featuring soloist Anaïs Huet on violin, the all-pops concert will feature the music of the Studio Ghibli Suite, Pirates of Penzance, How to Train Your Dragon, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. $5-33. Sunday, May 21, 3pm. Samper Recital Hall at Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos. cabrillovapa.universitytickets.com
RYLEY WALKER BAND Ryley Walker currently resides in New York City. But his latest LP is a Chicago record in spirit. The masterful Course In Fable, the songwriter’s fifth solo effort, draws from the deep well of that city’s fertile 1990s scene, when bands like Tortoise, The Sea and Cake and Gastr del Sol were reshaping the underground, mixing and matching indie rock, jazz, prog and beyond. Walker spent his formative years in Chicago, absorbing those heady sounds and finding ways to make them his own. Even though he emerged at first in folk-rock troubadour mode, it makes sense that he’s arrived at this point; each LP has grown more intricate and assured, his influences distilling into something original and unusual. Course In Fable is Walker’s best record yet, full of active imagination and endless possibilities. $35 plus fees. Sunday, May 21, 7:30pm. Kuumbwa Jazz, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. folkyeah.com
Submit upcoming events HERE
